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Impact host struggling Toronto FC after front-office shakeup

The last-place Montreal Impact face rival Toronto FC at Saputo Stadium on Saturday in its first game since owner and president Joey Saputo removed Nick De Santis as sporting director and gave head coach Frank Klopas full control of the squad.

TFC on a 0-2-2 slide

The Canadian Press · August 2, 2014

Head coach Frank Klopas, pictured, was given full control of the Montreal Impact, after owner and president Joey Saputo removed Nick De Santis as sporting director. (Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

It’s time to see how the Montreal Impact respond to this week’s front office shakeup.

The last-place Impact (3-12-5) face rival Toronto FC at Saputo Stadium on Saturday evening in its first game since owner and president Joey Saputo removed his friend Nick De Santis as sporting director and gave head coach Frank Klopas full control of the squad.

Toronto (7-7-5) is looking to snap out of a mid-season funk that has seen it go 0-2-2 in its last four games and 2-3-4 in its last nine as it struggles to hold onto a playoff spot in Major League Soccer’s Eastern Conference.

Injured Jermain Defoe sits for Toronto

Star striker Jermain Defoe sat out Toronto FC's game with the Montreal Impact on Saturday due to injury.

Klopas was surprised to see De Santis moved to an administrative job. The former Impact player, coach and manager was a big supporter when former U.S. international forward Klopas was named Montreal’s third coach is as many seasons last winter.

Klopas had already made a few moves this season, including one in May that sent midfielder Collen Warner to Toronto for midfielder Issey Nakajima-Farran. It remains to be seen if Warner will start in his return to Saputo Stadium.

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